O’Hare Airport Continues Sustainability Efforts with New Alternative Fuel Station Plans

An exciting new announcement was made at the Going Green Conference! Chicago’s landmark O’Hare Airport has taken another important step toward its ongoing sustainability efforts at Chicago’s airports. The CDA has contracted with a private company to develop a 4,000 square foot fueling station and travel center that will feature a range of alternative fuels and food options on city-owned vacant land near O’Hare International.

The new fueling station and convenience center will offer compressed natural gas, biodiesel and fast-charge charging stations for electric vehicles. It will be located at the Southeast corner of Higgins Rd and Patton Drive, a convenience spot for travelers and transportation providers heading into and out of O’Hare Airport. The new fueling station should be up and running in early 2016.

Rendering of alternative fuel station to open at O’Hare International Airport in early 2016.

“Providing better access to alternative fuels at O’Hare provides multiple benefits for the City and the public,” said Mayor Rahm Emanuel. “We are able to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve air quality, while at the same time generating revenue.”

This move was done because an increasing number of vehicles using the airport are powered by alternative fuels, including taxis, and hotel and rental car shuttles. The public-access travel center near the airport will offer convenient access to alternative fuels for these fleets, as well as the general public.

And there’s more good news! The project is expected to create 73 construction jobs and 30 permanent positions. The CDA will receive a base rent of $100,000 for the land and 5 percent of gross sales.

The CDA also noted that in addition to environmental benefits, alternative fuels like CNG can deliver economic benefits. CNG costs up to $1.50 less per gallon than gasoline or diesel. In addition, natural gas engines can be up to 50 percent quieter than traditional diesel engines.  And 98 percent of the natural gas consumed in North America is produced in the United States.

Open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, the travel center will feature a convenience store with central pay location, a quick-serve restaurant with walk-up and drive-through service, a car wash, flight information display screens, an ATM and Wi-Fi.